Information processing apparatus, terminal apparatus, content of interest determination method, content of interest determination program, terminal program, recording medium on which program is recorded, and information provision system

ABSTRACT

Content is displayed in an active display region of a terminal apparatus, and information relating to the display of said content when the content scrolls in accordance with a scrolling operation performed by a user and content identifying information for identifying the content are obtained from the terminal apparatus and it is determined whether or not the user of the terminal apparatus is interested in the content identified by the content identifying information that is extracted in accordance with the information relating to the display of the content.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage of International Application No.PCT/JP2010/070598 filed Nov. 18, 2010, claiming priority based onJapanese Patent Application Nos. 2009-268802 filed Nov. 26, 2009 and2009-268804 filed Nov. 26, 2009, the contents of all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a technical field for determining adegree of interest in a web page provided from a website on theInternet.

BACKGROUND ART

There are a large number of websites on the Internet and these websitespublish a wide variety of information. A user terminal connected to theInternet accesses a website by specifying a URL (Uniform ResourceLocator) of the website by a web browser, so that the user terminal candisplay a web page provided from the website. Thereby, a user of theuser terminal can browse information posted on a web page provided fromthe website. Therefore, it is important for a provider of theinformation posted on the webpage to know the level of interest of theuser (degree of interest) in the web page and the information postedthereon.

Conventionally, a method is known which determines the user's degree ofinterest on the basis of a browsing time of a web page (staying time ina web page). In this method, the longer the browsing time of the webpage, the higher the user's degree of interest is determined to be. Forexample, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for measuring anelapsed time by using transition of a web page as an end event andtransmitting the elapsed time to a server as the browsing time of eachweb page.

CITATION LIST Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.    2001-51925

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

By the way, various contents are included in one web page and thesecontents can be displayed by scrolling in an active display area on adisplay unit of a user terminal according to a scroll operation by auser.

However, like the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 describedabove, it is difficult to determine which content (in other words, whichdisplay area in the web page) the user is interested in among aplurality of contents included in the web page using the methoddisclosed in the Patent Document 1 that determines the user's degree ofinterest on the basis of the browsing time of the web page or the like.

The present invention is made in view of the above problem and the likeand an example of the object of the present invention is to provide aninformation processing apparatus, a terminal apparatus, a content ofinterest determination method, a content of interest determinationprogram, a terminal program, a recording medium with a program recordedthereon, and an information providing system, which are able todetermine which content a user is interested in among a plurality ofcontents included in a web page.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to achieve the above object, an information processingapparatus described in an exemplary embodiment includes an informationobtaining means that obtains information related to display of contentwhen the content displayed in an active display area of a terminalapparatus scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus; a storage means that stores the obtained information relatedto display of the content and the content identification information inassociation with each other; and a determination means that extracts theinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information from the storage means and determines whetheror not a user of the terminal apparatus is interested in the contentidentified by the extracted content identification information on thebasis of the extracted information related to display of the content.According to this invention, it is possible to quickly determine whichcontent the user is interested in among a plurality of contents.

The information processing apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment, wherein the information obtaining means obtains amount ofchange information that indicates an amount of change in the contentwhen the content scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user andlength information that indicates a length of the active display area ina direction of the scroll as the information related to display of thecontent, the storage means stores the obtained amount of changeinformation, the length information, and the content identificationinformation in association with each other; and the determination meansextracts the amount of change information, the length information, andthe content identification information from the storage means anddetermines whether or not an amount of change indicated by the extractedamount of change information is smaller than or equal to a lengthindicated by the extracted length information, and if the determinationmeans determines that the amount of change is smaller than or equal tothe length, the determination means determines that the user of theterminal apparatus is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information. According to thisinvention, it is possible to quickly determine which content the user isinterested in among a plurality of contents.

The information processing apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment, wherein the information obtaining means obtains contentdisplay area information related to display areas of content displayedin the active display area before and after scroll when the contentscrolls according to a scroll operation by a user as the informationrelated to display of the content, the storage means stores the obtainedcontent display area information and the content identificationinformation in association with each other, and the determination meansextracts the content display area information and the contentidentification information from the storage means and determines whetheror not the display areas of content displayed in the active display areabefore and after the scroll overlap each other on the basis of theextracted content display area information, and if the display areas ofcontent before and after the scroll overlap each other, thedetermination means determines that the user of the terminal apparatusis interested in the content identified by the extracted contentidentification information. According to this invention, it is possibleto quickly determine which content the user is interested in among aplurality of contents.

The information processing apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment, further comprising: a related content selection means thatselects a related content that is related to the content in which theuser is determined to be interested; and a related content presentationmeans that presents the selected related content to the user of theterminal apparatus. According to this invention, it is possible topresent information in which the user may be more interested andrecommend a product or a service more effectively thereby.

A content of interest determination method in accordance with anexemplary embodiment performed by a computer, the method comprising: astep of obtaining information related to display of content when thecontent displayed in an active display area of a terminal apparatusscrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus; a step of storing the obtained information related to displayof the content and the content identification information in associationwith each other; and a step of extracting the information related todisplay of the content and the content identification information fromthe storage means and determining whether or not a user of the terminalapparatus is interested in the content identified by the extractedcontent identification information on the basis of the extractedinformation related to display of the content.

A content of interest determination program in accordance with anexemplary embodiment causing a computer to function as: an informationobtaining means that obtains information related to display of contentwhen the content displayed in an active display area of a terminalapparatus scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus, a storage means that stores the obtained information relatedto display of the content and the content identification information inassociation with each other, and a determination means that extracts theinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information from the storage means and determines whetheror not a user of the terminal apparatus is interested in the contentidentified by the extracted content identification information on thebasis of the extracted information related to display of the content.

A recording medium in accordance with an exemplary embodiment thatstores the content of interest determination program causing a computerto function as: an information obtaining means that obtains informationrelated to display of content when the content displayed in an activedisplay area of a terminal apparatus scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and content identification information foridentifying the content from the terminal apparatus, a storage meansthat stores the obtained information related to display of the contentand the content identification information in association with eachother, and a determination means that extracts the information relatedto display of the content and the content identification informationfrom the storage means and determines whether or not a user of the userterminal apparatus is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information on the basis of theextracted information related to display of the content.

A terminal apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodimentcomprising: an information obtaining means that obtains informationrelated to display of content when the content displayed in an activedisplay area of the terminal apparatus scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and content identification information foridentifying the content; a storage means that stores the obtainedinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information in association with each other; and adetermination means that extracts the information related to display ofthe content and the content identification information from the storagemeans and determines whether or not a user of the terminal apparatus isinterested in the content identified by the extracted contentidentification information on the basis of the extracted informationrelated to display of the content.

A terminal program in accordance with an exemplary embodiment causing acomputer to function as: an information obtaining means that obtainsinformation related to display of content when the content displayed inan active display area of a terminal apparatus scrolls according to ascroll operation by a user and content identification information foridentifying the content, a storage means that stores the obtainedinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information in association with each other, and adetermination means that extracts the information related to display ofthe content and the content identification information from the storagemeans and determines whether or not a user of the user terminalapparatus is interested in the content identified by the extractedcontent identification information on the basis of the extractedinformation related to display of the content.

A recording medium in accordance with an exemplary embodiment thatrecords a terminal program causing a computer to function as: aninformation obtaining means that obtains information related to displayof content when the content displayed in an active display area of aterminal apparatus scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user andcontent identification information for identifying the content, astorage means that stores the obtained information related to display ofthe content and the content identification information in associationwith each other, and a determination means that extracts the informationrelated to display of the content and the content identificationinformation from the storage means and determines whether or not a userof the user terminal is interested in content identified by theextracted content identification information on the basis of theextracted information related to display of the content.

An information providing system in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment including a terminal apparatus and a server apparatus whichthe terminal apparatus can access via a network, the informationproviding system wherein the terminal apparatus includes an informationobtaining means that obtains information related to display of contentwhen the content displayed in an active display area of the terminalapparatus scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus and a transmission means that transmits the obtainedinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information to the server apparatus, and the serverapparatus includes a reception means that receives the informationrelated to display of the content and the content identificationinformation transmitted from the terminal apparatus, a storage meansthat stores the received information related to display of the contentand the content identification information in association with eachother, and a determination means that extracts the information relatedto display of the content and the content identification informationfrom the storage means and determines whether or not a user of theterminal apparatus is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information on the basis of theextracted information related to display of the content.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly determinewhich content the user is interested in among a plurality of contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration ofan information providing system S according to embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematicconfiguration of an information providing server 2 according to theembodiments.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a configuration example of informationregistered in user information database.

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a configuration example of informationregistered in authentication information database.

FIG. 3C is a diagram showing a configuration example of informationregistered in related content database.

FIG. 3D is a diagram showing a configuration example of informationregistered in operation information database.

FIG. 3E is a diagram showing a configuration example of informationregistered in interest presence or absence information database.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of creating and transmitting anoperation information file in a user terminal 1 according to a firstembodiment.

FIG. 5A is a conceptual diagram (I) of a web page shown in a windowscreen.

FIG. 5B is a conceptual diagram (II) of a web page shown in a windowscreen.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a registration process of scroll changeamount information and the like in a system control unit 24 of theinformation providing server 2 according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an information providing process based oninterest presence or absence information in the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a presence or absence of user'sinterest for a plurality of scrolls performed in one web page.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process of creating and transmitting anoperation information file in a user terminal 1 according to a secondembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a registration process of content displayarea information and the like in a system control unit 24 of aninformation providing server 2 according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an information providing process based oninterest presence or absence information in the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 according to the secondembodiment.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the drawings. The embodiments described below areembodiments in a case in which the present invention is applied to aninformation providing system.

[1. Outline of a Configuration and Functions of the InformationProviding System]

First, an outline of a configuration and functions of an informationproviding system S according to an embodiment of the present inventionwill be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showingan example of a schematic configuration of the information providingsystem S according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, theinformation providing system S includes a user terminal 1 (an example ofa terminal apparatus) and an information providing server 2 (an exampleof an information providing apparatus or a server apparatus). Althoughonly one user terminal 1 is shown in FIG. 1 for the convenience ofdescription, there are many user terminals 1 used by each user.

The user terminal 1 and the information providing server 2 can transmitand receive data to and from each other via a network NW by using, forexample, TCP/IP as a communication protocol. The network NW is made upof, for example, the Internet, a dedicated communication line (forexample, CATV (Community Antenna Television) line), a mobilecommunication network (including a base station and the like), gateways,and the like.

The user terminal 1 is, for example, a personal computer (PC), a PDA(Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, or a portable gamemachine, and has a web browser function. The user terminal 1 accessesthe information providing server 2 and obtains a web page by a webbrowser, and then displays (renders) the web page in a window screenappearing on the display. Thereby, the content including at least one ofa moving image, a still image, and a text is displayed in the windowscreen. The window screen is an active display area in the web browser.The active display area is the entire screen in a full-Screen displaymode. The web page is made up of, for example, a structured documentfile such as an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) or XML (ExtensibleMarkup Language) file, image data, and the like. Each web page is addeda unique page ID. For example, the page ID may be a URL of the web page.

When a part of display area of the web page cannot be accommodated inthe window screen appearing on the display of the user terminal 1, theweb browser of the user terminal 1 scrolls (moves) the web page (thatis, content displayed on the web page) in the horizontal direction(lateral direction), the perpendicular direction (vertical direction),or an oblique direction in the window screen according to a scrolloperation by a user. The scroll is performed from when the user startsthe scroll operation to when the user completes the scroll operation.Here, examples of the scroll operation by the user include that the userrotates a wheel (a button between the left and right buttons) of a mouse(an operation unit of the user terminal 1), the user moves a scroll bardisplayed near the window screen by a drag function of the mouse, theuser presses an up, down, left, or right key of a keyboard (an operationunit of the user terminal 1), the user drags the window screen and movesthe active display area in an arbitrary direction by using a pointingdevice such as the mouse, the user flicks (for example, lightly flickswith a finger) on a touch panel window screen and the like.

The web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains information related todisplay of a web page (content) when the web page (the content)displayed in a window screen (that is, an active display area of the webbrowser) is scrolled according to a scroll operation by the user. Forexample, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains scroll changeamount information indicating an amount of change of a web page(content) displayed in a window screen (that is, an active display areaof the web browser) when the web page (the content) is scrolledaccording to a scroll operation by the user as the information relatedto display of the content. Here, the amount of change corresponds to,for example, a distance between first coordinates and second coordinateswhen a certain pixel (or pixels) in the content displayed in the windowscreen moves from the first coordinates to the second coordinates on thescreen.

The web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the length of the windowscreen in a direction of the scroll, that is, scroll direction lengthinformation (length information), which indicates the length of theactive display area of the web browser, as the information related todisplay of the content. Further, as described above, the web browser ofthe user terminal 1 obtains content display area information (forexample, coordinates of the content display area on the web page)related to the content display area displayed in the window screenbefore and after scroll when the web page is scrolled.

The web browser of the user terminal 1 creates an operation informationfile including the above-described scroll change amount information, theabove-described scroll direction length information, the above-describedcontent display area information, and a page ID of the web page relatedto the above-described scroll. Here, the content display areainformation and the page ID are examples of content identificationinformation for identifying the content displayed in the window screen.The scroll change amount information and the scroll direction lengthinformation may not be included in the operation information file.

The web browser of the user terminal 1 transmits the created operationinformation file and a user ID stored in the user terminal 1 to theinformation providing server 2 via the network NW. The informationrelated to display of the content included in the operation informationfile is transmitted to the information providing server 2 as informationused to determine that an interest is shown for the content.

Here, a program for obtaining the information related to display of thecontent (for example, the scroll change amount information, the scrolldirection length information, and the content display area information)and creating and transmitting the operation information file isdescribed in, for example, a structured document constituting the webpage by a script language (for example, JavaScript (registeredtrademark)). Alternatively, the program for obtaining the scroll changeamount information, the scroll direction length information, and thecontent display area information, and creating and transmitting theoperation information file may be plugged in to the web browser of theuser terminal 1 in advance.

The transmission timing of the operation information file and the likeis, for example, when the scroll operation for performing the scroll isended. If the start of scroll and the end of scroll are repeatedlyperformed while a web page is displayed, every time the above operationis performed, the operation information file and the user ID aretransmitted to the information providing server 2.

[2. Configuration and Functions of the Information Providing Server 2]

Next, the configuration and the functions of the information providingserver 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a blockdiagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of theinformation providing server 2 according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information providing server 2 includes acommunication unit 21, a storage unit 22, an input/output interface unit23, and a system control unit 24. The system control unit 24 and theinput/output interface unit 23 are connected to each other via a systembus 25.

The communication unit 21 connects to the network NW and controls astate of communication with the user terminal 1.

The storage unit 22 is made up of, for example, a hard disk drive, andstores various programs such as an operating system, the content ofinterest presence or absence determination program and the like. Forexample, the content of interest presence or absence determinationprogram of the present invention may be obtained (downloaded) from otherserver or the like via the network NW or may be stored in a recordingmedium such as a CD (Compact Disc) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) tobe read via a drive apparatus.

The storage unit 22 (an example of a storage means) stores data forforming each of a plurality of web pages to be provided to the userterminal 1.

In the storage unit 22, a user information database (DB) 221, anauthentication information database (DB) 222, a related contentinformation database (DB) 223, an operation information database (DB)224, and a degree of interest presence or absence information database(DB) 225 are formed.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3E are diagrams showing a configurationexample of the information registered in each database.

In the user information database 221 shown in FIG. 3A, user informationsuch as user ID, name, gender, address, telephone number, email addressof users registered as members and the like is associated with each userand registered.

In the authentication information database 222 shown in FIG. 3B, userID, login ID, and password are associated with each user and registered.The login ID and the password are authentication information used for alogin process (user authentication process).

In the related content information database 223 shown in FIG. 3C,content IDs of each content displayed on the web page, related contents(for example, advertisement information and detailed information) thatare related to each content, and the like are associated with eachcontent and registered.

In the operation information database 224 shown in FIG. 3D, user ID,page ID, scroll change amount information, scroll direction lengthinformation, and content display area information are associated witheach user and each web page and registered. Here, the scroll changeamount information and the scroll direction length information may notbe registered in the operation information database 224.

In the interest presence or absence information database 225 shown inFIG. 3E, user ID, page ID, content ID, and interest presence or absenceinformation are associated with each user and each web page andregistered. Here, the interest presence or absence information indicateswhether or not a user is interested in the content on the web page. Thecontent ID includes an ID and a URI (for example, file name) in a tagdescribed in a structured document constituting the web page orcoordinates of a display area of the content on the web page and thelike.

When a plurality of contents are set on one web page, interest presenceor absence information and content ID are associated with each contentand registered.

The input/output interface unit 23 performs an interface process amongthe communication unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the system controlunit 24.

The system control unit 24 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 24a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 24 b, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 24 c, andthe like. The CPU 24 a reads and executes various programs stored in theROM 24 b and/or the storage unit 22, so that the system control unit 24performs a process for providing a web page and the like.

Further, the system control unit 24 functions as an informationobtaining means, a determination means, a related content selectionmeans, a related content presentation means, and the like of the presentinvention.

Specifically, the system control unit 24 obtains the operationinformation file and the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 1and registers (stores) the scroll change amount information, the scrolldirection length information, the content display area information, andthe page ID included in the operation information file in the operationinformation database 224 in association with the user ID.

Then, the system control unit 24 extracts information related to displayof the content and page ID associated with a user ID of a certain userfrom the operation information database 224, and determines whether ornot the user of the user terminal 1 is interested in the contentidentified by the extracted information related to display of thecontent on the basis of the extracted information related to display ofthe content. For example, the system control unit 24 extracts the scrollchange amount information, the scroll direction length information, thecontent display area information, and the page ID which are associatedwith a user ID of a certain user from the operation information database224, and determines whether or not the amount of change indicated by theextracted scroll change amount information is smaller than the lengthindicated by the extracted scroll direction length information. If theamount of change is smaller than the length, the system control unit 24determines that the user is interested in the content (the contentdisplayed in one or both of the window screens before and after thescroll) on the web page identified by the extracted page ID and thecontent display area information.

Alternatively, the system control unit 24 obtains the operationinformation file and the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 1and registers (stores) the content display area information and the pageID included in the operation information file in the operationinformation database 224 in association with the user ID. In this case,the system control unit 24 extracts the content display area informationand the page ID which are associated with a user ID of a certain userfrom the operation information database 224, and determines whether ornot the display areas of the content displayed in the window screensbefore and after the scroll overlap each other on the basis of theextracted content display area information. If the display areas of thecontent before and after the scroll overlap each other, the systemcontrol unit 24 determines that the user is interested in the content(the content displayed in one or both of the window screens before andafter the scroll) on the web page identified by the extracted page IDand the content display area information.

The page interest presence or absence information indicating thepresence or absence of the interest determined as described above isassociated with the page ID of the web page, the content ID, and theuser ID and registered in the interest presence or absence informationdatabase 225. The system control unit 24 selects related content that isrelated to the content in which the user is determined to be interestedby referring to the interest presence or absence information registeredin the degree of interest presence or absence information database 225,and transmits the related content to the user terminal 1 via the networkNW to present the related content to the user.

[3. Operation of the Information Providing System]

Next, an operation of the information providing system S according tothe embodiment will be described.

First Embodiment

(3.1. Creation and Transmission of Operation Information File)

First, the process for creating and transmitting the operationinformation file by the user terminal 1 according to a first embodimentwill be described with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of creating and transmittingthe operation information file in the user terminal 1 according to thefirst embodiment. The process shown in FIG. 4 is started when a web pagetransmitted from the information providing server 2 is received anddisplayed by the user terminal 1 after a web browser is started in theuser terminal 1 and thereafter the user terminal 1 logs in to theinformation providing server 2 by a login request (including a login IDand a password).

When the process shown in FIG. 4 is started, the web browser of the userterminal 1 determines whether or not a scroll operation is started by auser on the basis of an operation signal caused by a scroll operationfrom the operation unit (step S1). If the web browser determines thatthe scroll operation is started (step S1: YES), the web browser storesfirst coordinates of a certain pixel on the screen of the web page,which is displayed in the window screen, and proceeds to step S2. If theweb browser determines that the scroll operation is not started (stepS1: NO), the web browser proceeds to step S9.

In step S2, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the contentdisplay area information (for example, coordinates of the contentdisplay area on the web page) related to the display area of the contentdisplayed in the window screen immediately before the web page scroll isstarted.

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 performs a scroll processfor scrolling the web page displayed in the window screen according tothe scroll operation (step S3).

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines whether or notthe scroll operation is ended on the basis of the operation signalcaused by the scroll operation from the operation unit (step 4). If thescroll operation is absent for a predetermined time period (for example,0.5 sec) (if the operation signal caused by the scroll operation is nottransmitted from the operation unit for a predetermined time period),the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines that the scrolloperation is ended (step S4: YES) and proceeds to step S5. On the otherhand, if the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines that thescroll operation is not ended (step S4: NO), the web browser returns tostep S3 and continues the scroll process.

In step S5, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the contentdisplay area information related to the display area of the contentdisplayed in the window screen immediately after the scroll of the webpage.

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 calculates the amount ofchange by which the web page is scrolled according to the scrolloperation and obtains the scroll change amount information indicatingthe amount of change (step S6).

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the scrolldirection length information indicating the length of the window screenin the scroll direction (step S7).

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the page ID of thescrolled web page, creates the operation information file including theobtained page ID, the content display area information obtained in stepS2 and step S5 described above, the scroll change amount informationobtained in step S6 described above, and the scroll direction lengthinformation obtained in step S7 described above (step S8), andtemporarily stores the operation information file in the RAM.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are conceptual diagrams of the web page shown in thewindow screen. The example shown in FIG. 5A shows a state of a web pageP before scroll, and the example shown in FIG. 5B shows a state of theweb page P after scroll. In the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, theamount of change when the web page P (content C1) is scrolled is “d2”,and the length of the window screen G in the scroll direction is “d1”.The content display area information related to the display area AR1 ofthe content C1 displayed in the window screen G before scroll includescoordinate information (for example, coordinates of vertexes PO1 to PO4)for defining the range of the display area AR1. The content display areainformation related to the display area AR2 of (a part of) the contentC1 and the content C2 displayed in the window screen G after scrollincludes coordinate information (for example, coordinates of vertexesPO5 to PO8) for defining the range of the display area AR2.

In step S9, the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines whether ornot the condition of transmission timing of the operation informationfile is satisfied. For example, when “a timing at which an scrolloperation for performing a scroll from which the scroll operationinformation is obtained is ended” is defined as the transmission timing,if the condition of the transmission timing is satisfied (step S9: YES),the web browser proceeds to step S10, and if the condition of thetransmission timing is not satisfied (step S9: NO), the web browserproceeds to step S11.

In step S10, the web browser of the user terminal 1 accesses theinformation providing server 2 on the basis of a predetermined IPaddress of the information providing server 2 and transmits theoperation information file created in step S8 and the user ID stored inthe RAM to the information providing server 2 via the network NW. Thetransmitted operation information file is deleted from the RAM.

As the transmission timing, “a timing at which a scroll operation forperforming the next scroll is started after the scroll from which thescroll operation information is obtained is ended” may be defined. Inthis case, when a scroll operation for performing the next scroll isstarted after the scroll from which the scroll operation information isobtained is ended, the operation information file created in step S8 andthe like are transmitted to the information providing server 2.

Alternatively, as the transmission timing, “a timing at which the userperforms a specification (or selection) operation other than the scrolloperation after the scroll from which the scroll operation informationis obtained is ended” may be defined. In this case, when the userperforms a specification (or selection) operation other than the scrolloperation after the scroll is ended, the operation information filecreated in step S8 and the like are transmitted to the informationproviding server 2. Here, examples of the specification (or selection)other than the scroll operation by the user include specification(clicking by a mouse) by various buttons such as a purchase button, areservation button, a settlement button and the like, and aspecification for specifying a link to jump to other web page.

Alternatively, as the transmission timing, “a timing at which apredetermined time period has elapsed since the last transmission of theoperation information file” may be defined. In this case, the operationinformation file created in step S8 and the like are transmitted to theinformation providing server 2 every predetermined time period (forexample, every 1 minute).

Alternatively, as the transmission timing, “a timing at which apredetermined amount of data accumulation is detected” may be defined.In this case, the operation information file created in step S8 and thelike are transmitted to the information providing server 2 every time apredetermined amount of data of the operation information file isaccumulated.

In step S11, the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines whetheror not an instruction was issued for ending the display of the web page.For example, when a close button (or a return button) of the web page isselected (clicked by a mouse) by the user, or when a hyperlink to jumpto other web page is selected by the user, the web browser of the userterminal 1 determines that an instruction was issued for ending thedisplay of the web page (step S11: YES) and ends the process. On theother hand, if the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines that noinstruction was issued for ending the display of the web page (step S11:NO), the web browser proceeds to step S12, performs other processes (forexample, a process according to an input operation by the user and thelike), and returns to step S1.

(3.2. Registration of Scroll Change Amount Information and the Like)

Next, a registration process of the scroll change amount information andthe like by the information providing server 2 according to the firstembodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the registration process of the scrollchange amount information and the like in the system control unit 24 ofthe information providing server 2 according to the first embodiment.The process shown in FIG. 6 is started when the operation informationfile and the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 1 are received.

When the process shown in FIG. 6 is started, the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 obtains the page ID, the contentdisplay area information, the scroll change amount information, and thescroll direction length information from the received operationinformation file (step S21).

Next, the system control unit 24 registers the obtained page ID, contentdisplay area information, scroll change amount information, and scrolldirection length information in the operation information database 224in association with the received user ID (step S22) and ends theprocess.

(3.3. Providing Information Based on the Interest Presence or AbsenceInformation)

Next, an information providing process based on the interest presence orabsence information by the information providing server 2 according tothe first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the information providing process based onthe interest presence or absence information in the system control unit24 of the information providing server 2 according to the firstembodiment. The process shown in FIG. 7 may be started following stepS22 shown in FIG. 6 or is started when a predetermined process isperformed (for example, when a related content browse button is clicked)in step S12 shown in FIG. 4 in the user terminal 1. Alternatively, itmay be configured so that the process shown in FIG. 7 is started when alogin is performed again after the process shown in FIG. 4 in the userterminal 1 is completed.

When the process shown in FIG. 7 is started, the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 extracts the scroll change amountinformation, the scroll direction length information, the contentdisplay area information, and the page ID, which are associated with theuser ID identified by the login, from the operation information database 224 (step S31).

Next, the system control unit 24 determines whether or not the user ofthe user terminal 1 is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information on the basis of theextracted information. Specifically, the system control unit 24determines whether or not the amount of change (scroll change amount)indicated by the scroll change amount information is smaller than thelength (scroll direction length) indicated by the scroll directionlength information (step S32). If the system control unit 24 determinesthat the amount of change is smaller than the length (step S32: YES) (inthe example shown in FIG. 5, this condition is satisfied because theamount of change d2<the length d1), the system control unit 24 proceedsto step S33. If the system control unit 24 determines that the amount ofchange is not smaller than the length (step S32: NO), the system controlunit 24 ends the process.

In step S33, the system control unit 24 defines a range of the displayarea of the content in the window screen before scroll (in the exampleshown in FIG. 5A, the display area AR1) from the coordinate informationincluded in the content display area information corresponding to thecontent display area before scroll, and defines a range of the displayarea of the content in the window screen after scroll (in the exampleshown in FIG. 5B, the display area AR2) from the coordinate informationincluded in the content display area information corresponding to thecontent display area after scroll.

The fact that the amount of change in the scroll is smaller than thelength of the window screen in step S32 described above means that, asshown in FIG. 5B, the display areas AR1 and AR2 of the content displayedin the window screen overlap each other (in the example shown in FIG.5B, the overlap area is the area ARS).

Next, the system control unit 24 refers to the structured document ofthe web page corresponding to the extracted page ID, identifies thecontents (in the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the content C1 andthe content C2) arranged in the display areas of the contents before andafter the scroll, ranges of which are defined, (step S34), and obtainsthe content IDs of the contents.

Next, the system control unit 24 determines that the user correspondingto the identified user ID is interested in the above-identified contents(step S35). In summary, considering that the user temporarily stops thescroll when the content in which the user is interested is displayed bythe scroll, it is determined that the user is interested in the contentdisplayed when the amount of change in the scroll is smaller than thelength of the window screen (in other words, when the display areas ofthe content overlap each other).

Next, the system control unit 24 registers the identified user ID, theextracted page ID, the content ID of the identified content, and thepage interest presence or absence information indicating that the useris interested in the content, which is determined as described above, inthe interest presence or absence information database 225 in associationwith each other (step S36).

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a presence or absence of theuser's interest for a plurality of scrolls performed in one web page. Inthe example shown in FIG. 8, the content display areas AR1 and AR2 on aweb page overlap each other and the display areas AR2 and AR3 overlapeach other, so that it is determined that the user is interested in thecontent included in a range of the display areas AR1 to AR3. On theother hand, although the content display areas AR4 and AR5 do notoverlap each other, the content display areas AR5 and AR6 overlap eachother, so that it is determined that the user is not interested in thecontent included in a range of the display area AR4, and on the otherhand, it is determined that the user is interested in the contentincluded in a range of the display areas AR5 to AR6.

Next, the system control unit 24 selects related content (for example,advertisement information of a product in which the user is determinedto be interested and detailed information such as specifications of theproduct) that is related to the identified content by using the contentID of the above-identified content (the content in which the user isdetermined to be interested) as a key from the related contentinformation database 223 (step S37).

Next, the system control unit 24 transmits the selected related contentto the user terminal 1 (step S38). The related content transmitted asdescribed above is displayed (that is, presented to the user) in apredetermined position on the window screen by the web browser of theuser terminal 1. It may be configured so that the related content isdescribed in an email and the email is transmitted to the email addressof the user.

It may be configured so that the processes from step S31 to S36described above are performed for all users whose user ID is registeredevery predetermined time interval (for example, every 12 hours) andthereafter the processes shown in steps S37 and S38 described above areperformed when the information server 2 is accessed by the user terminal1. According to this configuration, the selected related content can bemore quickly presented to the user.

As described above, according to the above-described first embodiment,it is configured so that, when the amount of change in scroll of the webpage according to the scroll operation is smaller than the length of thewindow screen in the scroll direction, it is determined that the user isinterested in the content on the web page, so that it is possible toquickly determine which content the user is interested in among aplurality of contents included in the web page.

Since it is configured so that the related content that is related tothe content in which the user is determined to be interested ispresented to the user, it is possible to present information in whichthe user may be more interested and recommend a product or a servicemore effectively thereby.

When it is configured so that, when it is determined that the amount ofchange indicated by the scroll change amount information is smaller thanor equal to the length indicated by the scroll direction lengthinformation, it is determined that the user is interested in the contenton the web page identified by the content display area information, thesame effect as that described above can also be achieved.

Although, in the first embodiment described above, an example in whichthe system control unit 24 of the information providing server 2 hasfunctions as the information obtaining means, the storage means, and thedetermination means of the present invention is described, for example,a terminal program that causes a computer to function as these means maybe plugged in to the web browser of the user terminal 1. In this case,when the amount of change in scroll of the web page according to thescroll operation is smaller than the length of the window screen in thescroll direction, the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines thatthe user is interested in the content on the web page and transmits theoperation information file including the page interest presence orabsence information indicating the presence or absence of the interestdetermined as described above, the page ID of the web page, the contentID of the content, and the user ID to the information providing server 2via the network NW. For example, the terminal program of the presentinvention may be obtained (downloaded) from a predetermined server orthe like via the network NW or may be recorded in a recording mediumsuch as a CD or a DVD and read via a drive apparatus.

Second Embodiment

(3.4. Creation and Transmission of Operation Information File)

Next, a process for creating and transmitting the operation informationfile by the user terminal 1 according to a second embodiment will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the process of creating and transmittingthe operation information file in the user terminal 1 according to thesecond embodiment. In the same manner as in the first embodiment, theprocess shown in FIG. 9 is started when a web page transmitted from theinformation providing server 2 is received and displayed by the userterminal 1 after a web browser is started in the user terminal 1 andthereafter the user terminal 1 logs in to the information providingserver 2 by a login request.

When the process shown in FIG. 9 is started, the web browser of the userterminal 1 determines whether or not a scroll operation is started by auser on the basis of an operation signal caused by a scroll operationfrom the operation unit (step S41). If the web browser determines thatthe scroll operation is started (step S41: YES), the web browser storesfirst coordinates of a certain pixel on the screen of the web page,which is displayed in the window screen, and proceeds to step S42. Ifthe web browser determines that the scroll operation is not started(step S41: NO), the web browser proceeds to step S47.

The processes from step S42 to S45 are the same as those from step S2 toS5 shown in FIG. 4.

Next, the web browser of the user terminal 1 obtains the page ID of thescrolled web page, creates the operation information file including theobtained page ID and the content display area information (see FIG. 5)obtained in step S42 and step S45 described above (step S46), andtemporarily stores the operation information file in the RAM.

The process of step S47 is the same as that of step S9 shown in FIG. 4.

In step S48, the web browser of the user terminal 1 accesses theinformation providing server 2 on the basis of a predetermined IPaddress of the information providing server 2 and transmits theoperation information file created in step S46 and the user ID stored inthe RAM to the information providing server 2 via the network NW. Thetransmitted operation information file is deleted from the RAM.

The transmission timing is the same as that in the first embodiment. Theprocesses of step S49 and S50 are the same as those of step S11 and S12shown in FIG. 4.

(3.5. Registration of Content Display Area Information and the Like)

Next, a registration process of the content display area information andthe like by the information providing server 2 according to the secondembodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the registration process of the contentdisplay area information and the like in the system control unit 24 ofthe information providing server 2 according to the second embodiment.The process shown in FIG. 10 is started when the operation informationfile and the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 1 are received.

When the process shown in FIG. 10 is started, the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 obtains the page ID and thecontent display area information from the received operation informationfile (step S51).

Next, the system control unit 24 registers the obtained page ID andcontent display area information in the operation information database224 in association with the received user ID (step S52) and ends theprocess.

(3.6. Information Providing Based on the Interest Presence or AbsenceInformation)

Next, an information providing process based on the interest presence orabsence information by the information providing server 2 according tothe second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the information providing process basedon the interest presence or absence information in the system controlunit 24 of the information providing server 2 according to the secondembodiment. The process shown in FIG. 11 may be started following stepS52 shown in FIG. 10 or is started when a predetermined process isperformed (for example, when a related content browse button is clicked)in step S50 shown in FIG. 9 in the user terminal 1. Alternatively, itmay be configured so that the process shown in FIG. 11 is started when alogin is performed again after the process shown in FIG. 9 in the userterminal 1 is completed.

When the process shown in FIG. 11 is started, the system control unit 24of the information providing server 2 extracts the content display areainformation and the page ID, which are associated with the user IDidentified by the login, from the operation information data base 224(step S61).

Next, the system control unit 24 determines whether or not the user ofthe user terminal 1 is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information on the basis of theextracted information. Specifically, the system control unit 24 definesa range of the display area of the content in the window screen beforescroll (in the example shown in FIG. 5A, the display area AR1) from thecoordinate information included in the content display area informationcorresponding to the content display area before scroll, and defines arange of the display area of the content in the window screen afterscroll (in the example shown in FIG. 5B, the display area AR2) from thecoordinate information included in the content display area informationcorresponding to the content display area after scroll (step S62).

Next, the system control unit 24 determines whether or not the contentdisplay area AR1 before scroll, the range of which is defined, and thecontent display area AR1 after scroll, the range of which is defined,overlap each other (step S63). If the system control unit 24 determinesthat the content display areas overlap each other (step S63: YES), thesystem control unit 24 proceeds to step S64, and if the system controlunit 24 determines that the content display areas do not overlap eachother (step S63: NO), the system control unit 24 ends the process. Inthe example shown in FIG. 5B, the display areas AR1 and AR2 of thecontent displayed in the window screen overlap each other (the overlaparea is the area ARS).

The process of step S64 is the same as that of step S34 shown in FIG. 7.

Next, the system control unit 24 determines that the user correspondingto the identified user ID is interested in the identified contents (stepS65). In summary, considering that the user temporarily stops the scrollwhen the content in which the user is interested is displayed by thescroll, it is determined that the user is interested in the contentdisplayed when the content display areas overlap each other (see FIG.8).

The processes from step S66 to S68 are the same as those from step S36to S38 shown in FIG. 7.

In the same manner as in the first embodiment, it may be configured sothat the processes from step S61 to S66 described above are performedfor all users whose user ID is registered every predetermined timeinterval and thereafter the processes shown in steps S67 and S68described above are performed when the information server 2 is accessedby the user terminal 1.

As described above, according to the above-described second embodiment,it is configured so that, when the content display area before the webpage is scrolled and the content display area after the web page isscrolled overlap each other, it is determined that the user isinterested in the content on the web page, so that it is possible toquickly determine which content the user is interested in among aplurality of contents included in the web page.

Since it is configured so that the related content that is related tothe content in which the user is determined to be interested ispresented to the user, it is possible to present information in whichthe user may be more interested and recommend a product or a servicemore effectively thereby.

Although, in the second embodiment described above, an example in whichthe system control unit 24 of the information providing server 2 hasfunctions as the information obtaining means, the storage means, and thedetermination means of the present invention is described, for example,a terminal program that causes a computer to function as these means maybe plugged in to the web browser of the user terminal 1. In this case,when the content display area before the web page is scrolled and thecontent display area after the web page is scrolled overlap each other,the web browser of the user terminal 1 determines that the user isinterested in the content on the web page and transmits the operationinformation file including the page interest presence or absenceinformation indicating the presence or absence of the interestdetermined as described above, the page ID of the web page, the contentID of the content, and the user ID to the information providing server 2via the network NW.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1 User terminal    -   2 Information providing server    -   21 Communication unit    -   22 Storage unit    -   23 Input/output interface unit    -   24 System control unit    -   25 System bus    -   NW Network    -   S Information providing system

The invention claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatuscomprising: an information obtaining unit that obtains informationrelated to display of content when the content displayed in an activedisplay area of a terminal apparatus scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and content identification information foridentifying the content from the terminal apparatus; a storage unit thatstores the obtained information related to display of the content andthe content identification information in association with each other;and a determination unit that extracts the information related todisplay of the content and the content identification information fromthe storage unit and determines whether or not a user of the terminalapparatus is interested in the content identified by the extractedcontent identification information on the basis of the extractedinformation related to display of the content, wherein the informationobtaining unit obtains amount of change information that indicates anamount of change in the content when the content scrolls according to ascroll operation by a user and length information that indicates alength of the active display area in a direction of the scroll as theinformation related to display of the content, wherein the storage unitstores the obtained amount of change information, the lengthinformation, and the content identification information in associationwith each other, and wherein the determination unit extracts the amountof change information, the length information, and the contentidentification information from the storage unit and determines whetheror not an amount of change indicated by the extracted amount of changeinformation is smaller than or equal to a length indicated by theextracted length information, and if the determination unit determinesthat the amount of change is smaller than or equal to the length, thedetermination unit determines that the user of the terminal apparatus isinterested in the content identified by the extracted contentidentification information.
 2. The information processing apparatusaccording to any one of claim 1, further comprising: a related contentselection unit that selects a related content that is related to thecontent in which the user is determined to be interested; and a relatedcontent presentation unit that presents the selected related content tothe user of the terminal apparatus.
 3. A content of interestdetermination method performed by a computer, the method comprising: astep of obtaining information related to display of content when thecontent displayed in an active display area of a terminal apparatusscrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus; a step of storing the obtained information related to displayof the content and the content identification information in associationwith each other; and a step of extracting the information related todisplay of the content and the content identification information from astorage unit and determining whether or not a user of the terminalapparatus is interested in the content identified by the extractedcontent identification information on the basis of the extractedinformation related to display of the content, wherein, in the step ofobtaining, amount of change information that indicates an amount ofchange in the content when the content scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and length information that indicates a length ofthe active display area in a direction of the scroll are obtained as theinformation related to display of the content, wherein, in the step ofstoring, the obtained amount of change information, the lengthinformation, and the content identification information are stored inassociation with each other; and wherein, in step of extracting, theamount of change information, the length information, and the contentidentification information are extracted from the storage unit and it isdetermined whether or not an amount of change indicated by the extractedamount of change information is smaller than or equal to a lengthindicated by the extracted length information, and if it is determinedthat the amount of change is smaller than or equal to the length, it isdetermined that the user of the terminal apparatus is interested in thecontent identified by the extracted content identification information.4. A terminal apparatus comprising: an information obtaining unit thatobtains information related to display of content when the contentdisplayed in an active display area of the terminal apparatus scrollsaccording to a scroll operation by a user and content identificationinformation for identifying the content; a storage unit that stores theobtained information related to display of the content and the contentidentification information in association with each other; and adetermination unit that extracts the information related to display ofthe content and the content identification information from the storageunit and determines whether or not a user of the terminal apparatus isinterested in the content identified by the extracted contentidentification information on the basis of the extracted informationrelated to display of the content, wherein the information obtainingunit obtains amount of change information that indicates an amount ofchange in the content when the content scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and length information that indicates a length ofthe active display area in a direction of the scroll as the informationrelated to display of the content, wherein the storage unit stores theobtained amount of change information, the length information, and thecontent identification information in association with each other; andwherein the determination unit extracts the amount of changeinformation, the length information, and the content identificationinformation from the storage unit and determines whether or not anamount of change indicated by the extracted amount of change informationis smaller than or equal to a length indicated by the extracted lengthinformation, and if the determination unit determines that the amount ofchange is smaller than or equal to the length, the determination unitdetermines that the user of the terminal apparatus is interested in thecontent identified by the extracted content identification information.5. A non-transitory recording medium that records a terminal programcausing a computer to function as: an information obtaining unit thatobtains information related to display of content when the contentdisplayed in an active display area of a terminal apparatus scrollsaccording to a scroll operation by a user and content identificationinformation for identifying the content, a storage unit that stores theobtained information related to display of the content and the contentidentification information in association with each other, and adetermination unit that extracts the information related to display ofthe content and the content identification information from the storageunit and determines whether or not a user of the user terminal isinterested in content identified by the extracted content identificationinformation on the basis of the extracted information related to displayof the content, wherein the information obtaining unit obtains amount ofchange information that indicates an amount of change in the contentwhen the content scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user andlength information that indicates a length of the active display area ina direction of the scroll as the information related to display of thecontent, wherein the storage unit stores the obtained amount of changeinformation, the length information, and the content identificationinformation in association with each other; and wherein thedetermination unit extracts the amount of change information, the lengthinformation, and the content identification information from the storageunit and determines whether or not an amount of change indicated by theextracted amount of change information is smaller than or equal to alength indicated by the extracted length information, and if thedetermination unit determines that the amount of change is smaller thanor equal to the length, the determination unit determines that the userof the terminal apparatus is interested in the content identified by theextracted content identification information.
 6. An informationproviding system including a terminal apparatus and a server apparatuswhich the terminal apparatus can access via a network, the informationproviding system wherein the terminal apparatus includes an informationobtaining unit that obtains information related to display of contentwhen the content displayed in an active display area of the terminalapparatus scrolls according to a scroll operation by a user and contentidentification information for identifying the content from the terminalapparatus and a transmission unit that transmits the obtainedinformation related to display of the content and the contentidentification information to the server apparatus, and the serverapparatus includes a reception unit that receives the informationrelated to display of the content and the content identificationinformation transmitted from the terminal apparatus, a storage unit thatstores the received information related to display of the content andthe content identification information in association with each other,and a determination unit that extracts the information related todisplay of the content and the content identification information fromthe storage unit and determines whether or not a user of the terminalapparatus is interested in the content identified by the extractedcontent identification information on the basis of the extractedinformation related to display of the content, wherein the receptionunit receives amount of change information that indicates an amount ofchange in the content when the content scrolls according to a scrolloperation by a user and length information that indicates a length ofthe active display area in a direction of the scroll as the informationrelated to display of the content, wherein the storage unit stores theobtained amount of change information, the length information, and thecontent identification information in association with each other; andwherein the determination unit extracts the amount of changeinformation, the length information, and the content identificationinformation from the storage unit and determines whether or not anamount of change indicated by the extracted amount of change informationis smaller than or equal to a length indicated by the extracted lengthinformation, and if the determination unit determines that the amount ofchange is smaller than or equal to the length, the determination unitdetermines that the user of the terminal apparatus is interested in thecontent identified by the extracted content identification information.